Patriot (Hades Abyss MC 6) - Harley Wylde Page 0,41
ears. “He’s always getting into trouble. What about Rascal?”
I nodded. “Sounds like a good name. How about it, kitty? You like the name Rascal?”
The kitten purred and rubbed his face against MaryAnne. I laughed and reached over to pet him.
“I think he likes it,” she said.
“Seems that way. I had a feeling he wasn’t leaving here. I know you try not to bond to the animals I bring home, but I saw the way you looked at him that first night. All wet from the rain and covered in fleas and blood. Little thing was half-starved and dying. You didn’t see all that, though, did you?”
“No. He might have looked mostly dead, but I could tell he wasn’t ready to give up.”
“Like you,” I said, taking her hand.
“You have a tendency to bring home wounded things. All your animals. Me. What’s next?”
I rubbed the back of my neck. Since she’d brought it up, it was the perfect time to talk to her about something. I wasn’t sure how the conversation would go. Either she’d be thrilled, scared, or just outright refuse. Only one way to know for certain, and I was about out of time.
“Since you brought it up… there is one other thing I’d like to bring home.”
She turned a little to face me. “What?”
“Remember those families we helped? The ones from the church.”
“What about them?” she asked.
“One of those families has a fifteen-year-old daughter. She wasn’t raped, like you were, but she did fool around with a boy who was old enough to know better and she ended up pregnant.”
MaryAnne’s brow furrowed. “I don’t understand where this is going.”
I tightened my hold on her hand, hoping she’d hear me out. I loved her, and I’d be happy with just the two of us and the animals, but I knew she wanted more. She wanted a family, and honestly, I did too. I wanted it all, as long as MaryAnne was the one by my side.
“The girl can’t keep the baby. The family can barely feed everyone as it is, and at fifteen, she’s just not ready to be a mother. The boy who got her pregnant signed away his rights. They were going to put the baby up for adoption when it’s born.” I stroked her hand with my thumb. “It’s a girl.”
I saw the pulse in her throat pounding. “A baby girl? And they don’t want her?”
“Not so much that they don’t want her, but they want her to have a good life. One where she won’t struggle and will have more opportunities.” I cleared my throat. “Told them we might be interested in adopting her, but I’d have to talk to you first. Then all this other shit started happening and there hasn’t been a good time to bring it up.”
“A baby,” she said softly. “And she’d be ours? They wouldn’t try to take her back later?”
“No, Little Bit. They won’t take her away from us. We’ll sign papers, do everything legally. Or mostly. I did tell them Wizard could help move things along faster and they seemed okay with that.”
“Can we really adopt her?”
“If that’s what you want. I know you wanted kids and since I know for sure I can’t have any, and you were worried you can’t, it seemed like a good opportunity. Not just for us, but it will give that baby a chance at a good life, and the girl can finish school without worrying about raising a kid.”
Tears misted her eyes, and she flung her arms around my neck, dislodging Rascal from her lap. “Oh, Ronan! I can’t think of anything I want more.”
I hugged her tight. “Then I’ll make some calls and let them know we’ll take her. I’ll have to get a room ready. Think the girl is due before Christmas.”
“This is going to be the best Christmas ever.”
“Not sure I can ever top this one. I get the woman I love and a daughter.”
“That can’t be all you want in life,” she said.
Was it? I had brothers I knew would have my back no matter what. A woman I loved who wanted me as much as I wanted her. And we were going to adopt a baby girl. Toss in my rescues and life was close to perfect. Almost.
“I want the last two fuckers who hurt you to pay the price, and I’d like Walter and Blaire Wilcox out of our lives forever. Other than that, I can’t say there’s really anything else I want. I have